Human Anatomy & Physiology

Lecture 6:
The Endocrine System
Part 1

Prof. Kawal Rhode

School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences,

King’s College London, UK
 Learning Objectives
• To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of

• Definition of endocrine;

• Organs of the endocrine system;

• Differences/similarities of nervous & endocrine

systems;

• Hypothalamus & pituitary structure & function;

• Negative feedback control of hormone secretion.

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 Inter-cellular Communication
1. Gap junctions join smooth muscle, cardiac muscle,
epithelial, and other cells to each other.
2. Neurotransmitters are released by neurons, diffuse
across a narrow synaptic cleft, and bind to receptors
on the surface of the next cell.
3. Paracrines (local hormones) are secreted by one cell,
diffuse to nearby cells in the same tissue, and
stimulate their physiology.
4. Hormones are chemical messengers that are
transported by the bloodstream and stimulate
physiological responses in cells of another tissue or
organ, often a considerable distance away.

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 The Endocrine System
1. The glands, tissues and cells that secrete hormones
make up the endocrine system.

2. Endocrinology

ἔνδον, endo, "within"; κρῑνω, krīnō, "to separate"; and -

λογία, -logia, “the study of “

the study of the endocrine system.

3. Function – inter-cellular communication, homeostasis,

structural changes in the body e.g. increase in height,
development of sexual organs.

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Other organs
have endocrine
function e.g. the
liver

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 1. There are many interactions between the nervous &
endocrine systems, e.g. noradrenaline and glucagon
cause the liver to breakdown glycogen.

2. Some hormones are secreted by neuroendocrine

cells, e.g. noradrenaline & oxytocin.

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7
 Hypothalamus & Pituitary

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 Hypothalamus & Pituitary

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 Hypothalamus & Pituitary
1. Hypothalamus
• forms the floor and walls of the 3rd ventricle of the brain
• regulates primitive functions, water balance, sex drive, childbirth
• works closely with the pituitary

2. Pituitary
• suspended from the floor of the hypothalamus by the infundibulum
• sits in the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone
• size of a kidney bean (1.3 cm wide); doubles during pregnancy
• 2 parts
• adenohypophysis (3/4 of the gland) 2 parts
• Anterior lobe / pars distalis – connected to the
hypothalamus by the hypophyseal portal system
• Pars tuberalis
• Neurohypophyis (1/4 of the gland) 3 parts; nervous tissue
• median eminence
• infundibulum
• posterior lobe (pars nervosa)

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 Produced by
hypothalamus

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 Control of Pituitary Secretions

1. Rate of hormone
secretion by pituitary is
not constant

2. Controlled by
• hypothalamus
• higher brain centres
– via sensory
information
• feedback from
target organs

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Human Anatomy & Physiology

Lecture 6:
The Endocrine System
Part 2

Prof. Kawal Rhode

School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences,

King’s College London, UK
 Learning Objectives
• To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of

• Function of other major endocrine organs (pituitary &

hypothalamus already covered in Part 1);

• Chemical classes of hormones;

• Hormone action via receptors.

2
 Other Endocrine Glands
1. Pineal
• mainly active up to
puberty; shrinks after
this
• regulates 24-hr
circadian rhythms of
physiology
• secretes melatonin –
varies with length of
day; may have a role
in pre-menstrual
tension & seasonal
affective disorder
• may have role in onset
of puberty
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 2. Thymus
• large in children;
shrinks with age
• Secretes hormones
that influence the
development of T
lymphocytes and
other lymphatic
organs

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3. Thyroid
• largest endocrine gland in adults
• has very high blood flow per
gram
• produces mainly T4 hormone
• increases basal metabolic
rate, respiratory rate, heart
rate, strength of heart beat,
appetitive, breakdown of fuel
molecules
• produces calcitonin for regulation
of blood calcium (see skeletal
system lecture)

4. Parathyroid
• parathyroid hormone –
regulation of blood calcium (see
skeletal system lecture)

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 5. Adrenal
• inner part called medulla (20%)
• neuroendocrine cells / chromaffin
cells
• release
adrenaline/noradrenaline/dopa
mine
• fight-fright-flight response
• outer part called cortex (80%)
• 25 steroid hormones –
corticosteroids/corticoids
• Mineralocorticoids
• aldosterone – control of
BP
• Glucocorticoids
• cortisol – fat/protein
catabolism;
gluconeogenesis; release
of FAs / glucose into
blood
• Sex steroids
• androgens – converted
into testosterone in target
organs
• oestradiol

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 6. Pancreas
• alpha cells – secrete glucagon; stimulates
gluconeogenesis, release of glucose into the blood,
fat catabolism, release of FAs
• beta cells – secrete insulin; increases cellular uptake
of glucose, the synthesis of glycogen

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 7. Gonads
• ovaries – secrete oestradiol & progesterone
• testes – testosterone
• secondary sexual characteristics, growth,
menstruation, pregnancy

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 Chemistry of Hormones
1. Steroids – derived from cholesterol, e.g. oestrogens,
progesterone, testosterone

2. Peptides – short amino acid chains, e.g. Insulin

3. Monoamines – e.g. adrenaline, noradrenaline,

melatonin

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 Hormone
Receptors
Modulation of Target Cell
Sensitivity.

(a) Up-regulation, in which

a cell produces more
receptors and increases its
own sensitivity to a
hormone. (b) Down-
regulation,
in which a cell reduces the
density of its receptors and
lessens its sensitivity to a
hormone.
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Human Anatomy & Physiology

Lecture 6:
The Endocrine System
MCQs

Prof. Kawal Rhode

School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences,

King’s College London, UK
 Q6.1 CRH secretion would not raise the
blood concentration of

1. ACTH.
2. thyroxine.
3. cortisol.
4. corticosterone.
5. glucose.

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 Q6.2 Which of the following hormones has
the least in common with the others?

1. adrenocorticotropic hormone
2. follicle-stimulating hormone
3. thyrotropin
4. thyroxine
5. prolactin

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 Q6.3 Which hormone would no longer be secreted
if the hypothalamo–hypophyseal tract were
destroyed?
1. oxytocin
2. follicle-stimulating hormone
3. growth hormone
4. adrenocorticotropic hormone
5. corticosterone

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 Q6.4 Which of the following is not a
hormone?

1. prolactin
2. prolactin-inhibiting hormone
3. thyroxine-binding globulin
4. atrial natriuretic peptide
5. cortisol

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 Q6.5 Where are the receptors for insulin
located?

1. in the pancreatic beta cells

2. in the blood plasma
3. on the target cell membrane
4. in the target cell cytoplasm
5. in the target cell nucleus

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 Q6.6 What would be the consequence of
defective ADH receptors?

1. diabetes mellitus
2. adrenogenital syndrome
3. dehydration
4. seasonal affective disorder
5. none of these

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 Q6.7 Which of these has more exocrine than
endocrine tissue?

1. the pineal gland

2. the adenohypophysis
3. the thyroid gland
4. the pancreas
5. the adrenal gland

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 Q6.8 Which of these cells stimulate bone
deposition?

1. alpha cells
2. beta cells
3. C cells
4. G cells
5. T cells

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 Answers

Question Answer
6.1 2
6.2 4
6.3 1
6.4 3
6.5 3
6.6 3
6.7 4
6.8 3

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